Broken Wings
by barefoot11
Summary: Matthew was empty before Gilbert arrived and saved him. But when he finally realizes how deep his feelings are, he's told very heartbreaking news. oneshot!AU, Human names used, Prussia/Canada. More couples listed inside.


_Note: Other included pairings: America/England, Germany/Italy. Mentions of: Spain/Romano, Poland/Lithuania._

* * *

Gilbert was like a movie... when you played it with a broken remote. You popped it in, and when it began playing you found out disdainfully that you couldn't pause it without bringing it to a complete stop. When Gilbert began talking, it was like that, Matthew realized with a purse of his lips. He sat on one of the plastic chairs on his back patio, with his elbows on the table and his chin resting in his hands. He just watched his Prussian friend, not really taking in what he was saying. Gilbert just went on and on, pacing on the stone floor of his patio. He never seemed to stop…

But Matthew felt so lucky to have him, so relieved that he had him by his side that he called him his 'Savior', if only in his mind, though the name couldn't have been less true. Matthew tended to fade into the background, most promisingly at school. It was very annoying, but he wasn't one to get angry. Whenever people would jump when he commented in a conversation, he would ignore it. It had grown harder and harder throughout the years – and just last year, in the beginning of high school, his thoughts had become slightly morbid. He was thinking that there was no point of him existing anymore.

Then, Gilbert had come.

Gilbert was new, but he was loud and proud, not expressing anything relative to awkwardness. There were many empty seats in that class, but the Prussian had sat right next to Matthew, and gave him a reason to keep existing, if ever slowly.

Now, a year later, visits from Gilbert moved from just in the hallways to the Canadian's home. Matthew was more than grateful.

And this made the blonde think – had he ever told Gilbert how happy he was, now that he was with him? Or that his feelings sometimes strayed beyond friendship? He didn't think he ever had, especially the latter. Matthew looked up at the sky, his resolve settling. He would tell Gilbert. But he knew his friend very well – if he said it straight out, he would be teased of being such a sap. And that's not what he wanted. Matthew began putting words together in his mind as Gilbert kept talking. The blonde felt a rising sense of serenity the more he thought about finally explaining his feelings. Why hadn't he done this before?

Finally, the words were on the very tip of his tongue. So, with the wind teasing his hair, he opened his mouth to say it, when something in Gilbert's rambled soliloquy shattered his thoughts.

"…I'm moving, so I—" Matthew looked up at him with such a horrified gaze that Gilbert stopped. "What?" he asked. "Are you not going to be able to live without the awesome me?"

_Yes_, Matthew thought, but he only asked, "How… how soon?"

Gilbert felt something painful and slick grip his heart at how broken the Canadian's voice sounded. The silverette cared for the blonde more than anyone he had ever met – though he wouldn't say so out loud – and it hurt too much to hear such sadness in his voice; and at the fact that he had caused it made it even worse.

The Prussian didn't want to move away, it was something he decided the moment his parents had told him. But he had no say in things of that nature, however incredible that seemed. He also knew that he had had to tell Matthew, it would be unforgivable if he just got up and moved. Though Gilbert was usually skilled with words and talking in general, he had found it hard to admit his relocation to Matthew. So, he had simply put the dreaded 'I'm moving' in the middle of a random sentence, in hopes it would ease the effect.

It didn't, though, he realized, with a skip in his heart.

"After prom," he answered quietly, scratching the back of his head.

Prom was only a week away! Matthew felt tears prick at his eyes, but he refused them. Just in case any of the tears escaped, he stared at the table. "Where?"

"…Uh, back to Germany." He pursed his lips. Sure, seeing his family again was an upside, but…

_So far away_, thought Matthew.

Gilbert leaned down slightly, trying to steal a look at the blonde's eyes, or maybe see an expression, but his friend's head was bent too far for him to see anything. An idea hit him, suddenly, and he couldn't suppress a small, self-appreciative smirk. He cleared his throat loudly and stood up straighter. When Matthew didn't look up – or even move – the Prussian just went on.

"Would you like to go to prom with me, Matthew?"

The reaction he had been expecting played before him. Matthew's head snapped upward, and those wet, purple eyes stared widely at him. A dusty pink settled on his cheeks. "You… you can't be serious," he said weakly, for lack of anything else to say.

Gilbert pulled out the chair in front of the blonde, and sat. He gave his friend a hard look. "I am serious."

There was an almost painful skip in Matthew's heart. It was like a dream was coming true in front of his eyes – but at such a bitter cost. "Is… is that even allowed?" He asked timidly, hoping that Gilbert knew what he was referencing to.

Gilbert blinked, and leveled him a disbelieving stare. It lasted for a few moments before he sat back, and began counting on his fingers. "My brother's taking Feliciano, I think Antonio is dragging Romano, as well… ah, Toris is taking Feliks, no surprise there… and isn't your brother taking that stuffy British boy, Arthur? Man, our school might as well frown upon straight people…"

The Canadian flushed. There were a lot more boys than girls in their high school, strangely enough, so he figured that it made sense… "Wow," he said, for no reason at all.

Gilbert just shrugged. "So, what do you say?"

Matthew bit his bottom lip, and stared imploringly into those red eyes he had grown to love. "Wh… why?"

This took the Prussian off guard. "Um…" He could be a sap and say it directly, but his pride didn't allow him. "Well, 'cause… I think you're pretty awesome…" He made sure to quickly add, "And it'll be our last day together, right?"

To Matthew, this was the equivalent to a confession – Gilbert didn't throw around that 'A' word lightly. He tried to dilute the last part from his mind, and allowed a small, albeit sad, smile. "Okay. I'll go with you."

Visibly, Gilbert brightened. "Awesome. Pick up you up at five?"

* * *

It had been half and hour: Gilbert was officially late, not that Matthew was surprised, but that meant that he was alone and quickly fading. He nervously picked up a chip from one of the bowls as the flashing lights and loud music around him began to make a headache pound within his temples.

But when he felt a tapping on his shoulder, he pushed all negative notions aside and turned with a grin… only to be staring at Arthur.

"Finally found you, you git," he said with an annoyed sigh. Then, he quirked an eyebrow. "When did you change your suit?" He reached out and felt the material of Matthew's suit between his fingers in a rather sensual manner. "Hm, well, it's a lot better than that wrinkly, old one you were wearing earlier, Alfred… and that American flag tie you were wearing was absolutely appalling."

Matthew opened his mouth to explain that he wasn't his brother, but Arthur looked up at him with a smirk.

"This one… suits you a lot better, I think," he said quietly, leaning a bit too close to Matthew's liking.

"I, uh, I'm… I'm not –"

"Hey, keep your hands to yourself, Brit!" Out of nowhere, as habit, came Gilbert, his eyes narrowed dangerously toward the Englishman. He moved in front of his date in a protectively.

Arthur frowned deeply. He looked over Gilbert's shoulder to see a curl sticking up that he knew didn't belong to his date. He flushed in embarrassment. "Ah… sorry, Matthew…" He rubbed the back of his head nervously, and slowly walked away.

Gilbert scowled, and behind him, Matthew quipped, "Gil?"

The Prussian turned, to face the blonde. "What was that about?" He asked incredulously.

Matthew paused, glancing toward the direction Arthur had walked off and then back up to Gilbert. "He… uh, confused me for my brother, I think… eh." He blinked.

The silverette scoffed. "How could he do that?! You're not as arrogant and self-cent –"

"It happens," Matthew said, interrupting him. People often thought it was alright to pick on his twin in front of him, but it wasn't something Matthew wanted to do at the moment. He didn't have much longer… He bit his bottom lip.

Gilbert noticed the pensive look crossing his date's face and sighed. "I'm not going to spend the rest of the night with you if you're going to be gloomy," he stated firmly.

The blonde looked up, and then tried to brighten, if only for him. He took a deep breath, and smiled. "Okay."

Gilbert chuckled. "Now there's my Matthew," he said fondly, ruffling his hair.

* * *

After a while of mingling with friends, siblings and the like, Gilbert quietly took Matthew's hand and told him, "Follow me."

"But… Gil, the dance is almost –"

"Yes, yes, I know; that's why we have to do this now!"

The tone in his friend's voice made Matthew pause. _So serious…_ He reflected, watching the back of Gilbert's head as he was lead away. He tried to just be lifted on the fact of how their hands were clasped together – maybe that would stop unwanted and melancholy thoughts from forming. He was wretched from his pondering as crisp air suddenly began playing with his hair. Matthew looked around, and noticed that Gilbert had pulled them outside. He blushed; his friend must have been watching movies where things like this happened… but the effect wasn't completely satisfactory, and Matthew saw that in the silverette's flickering eyes.

"Why the hell does our school have a freaking parking lot back here?!" He shouted, getting irritated. His ending was ruined before it had even started!

Matthew laughed quietly to himself. "Why? What were you looking forward to?" He quirked an eyebrow. "A romantic garden, like in the movies?" Honestly, the Canadian wouldn't have minded it himself, but… oh well.

Gilbert looked away, and didn't give a direct answer. "No one probably parks here anyway," he mumbled.

Their clasped hands were a lingering reminder of all they had left, and the little time still remaining. Matthew bit his lip, and quietly broke the hold. He put his hands behind his back, and turned to his slightly startled friend. "Uh… well, what did you want to do? You made it sound urgent…" He looked anywhere except for those red eyes.

Gilbert stopped for a moment, and then gave a smirk. The last song from the dance played behind them, if only a bit muffled. It was a nice song, he thought idly, and put his hand out to Matthew.

Matthew felt his cheeks heat up rather startlingly, and he glanced at him before putting his hand in his.

Gilbert, very roughly, pulled Matthew toward him, and put an arm around his waist.

The Canadian stifled a surprised gasp, and managed to place his other hand on Gilbert's shoulder.

With Gilbert leading, they began dancing silently around rather clumsily, since neither had much experience. But they both wouldn't have given it up for the world. The music was slow, but just fast enough to be interesting, and the dark sky stretched all around them, preserving this one moment. The tall street lights around the lot cast unfamiliar shades at the heels of their feet.

Still, the blush dusting Matthew's cheeks wouldn't leave him alone! It was embarrassing, but the Prussian found it amusing, and very cute.

The silverette sighed heavily, a rather serious look passing over his pale features. "I really am going to miss you," he said offhandedly, looking in another direction.

Matthew stiffened slightly, and he stopped moving, just as the song began to die. He pressed his head to Gilbert's chest, not wanting to face this. He didn't want this to happen. Why couldn't the night have been longer? It hadn't seemed so long ago since everything had first started… why did it have to end so soon?

Silence became slightly unnerving, and pressed down on them. Gilbert gulped thickly, and lightly pushed the Canadian away so he could see him properly. He formed his words quickly in his head before saying them. "It sucks that neither of us could get our feelings out before it was too late, but at least we went somewhere, right, Mattie? I mean, if I had just got up and left, you would have felt rather shitty, right?" His plan to comfort the blonde was slowly making him feel more and more uncomfortable. He shifted his weight to his other foot, and put his hands on the other's shoulders. "I think you would have. And I would have, too, I think. And, well, I've never tried a long-distance relationship, but… I guess we could give it a try."

Matthew looked up at him desperately. "I… I…" He pressed his lips together, and then complied. "…Okay."

Gilbert smiled, and kissed him softly. Though it lasted no more than a mere moment, it was something that would last forever in each of their minds.

* * *

Matthew couldn't even see his friend off, since they were leaving so late because of the time zones and all. It strayed on his mind, as he lay in bed, trying to fall asleep. At that moment, he knew, Gilbert was getting on a plane – and leaving him forever. He fisted the material of his pillow in his hands, and still tried his best not to sob. This hurt a lot more than it should have.

The blonde tried his best to will those torturous memories away, and settled on thinking about nothing, becoming numb, so that he could finally succumb to a rather fitful sleep.

Miles away, sitting in a rather uncomfortable seat, Gilbert couldn't find any peace in his wandering mind. He wouldn't be able to fall asleep on this plane; he knew that for a fact. His brother, Ludwig, sat beside him, looking rather dejected and miserable with a container of pasta on his lap, which had been a gift from his boyfriend. Gilbert had watched the brunette hand it over with tears in his auburn eyes.

Matthew, with his overprotective father, hadn't been allowed to come to the airport, however much the blonde had wanted to.

It kind of sucked, Gilbert concluded as the dark clouds outside merged together into one sad shadow. Everything just kind of sucked, and there was nothing he could even do about it, when he was thousands of miles up in the air with nothing but a partial tingling on his lips to remind him that it had all been real.

* * *

**A/N**: -is sad- Ah. This I've been working on for a while, and I think it turned out nicely. This is inspired by the song _Broken Wings_ by Flyleaf that I do no claim ownership of. Most of my stories do tend to be linked to songs... and since I am absolutely horrid at titles, I'll just pick their names... that's not cheating, is it? D:

R&R!


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